RIP My Sweet Dreamcast

[Beak]

I had two friends over yesterday and we had a Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves marathon the whole day. Then, all of a sudden, when we switched the game to Plasma Sword, it wouldn't read the disk. Then, it wouldn't read Fatal Fury... or any other game, for that matter!

It won't read any disks now!

The game starts spinning, makes a meek noise, then tries to spin the disk again and fails again. It won't read anything.. real nor burned games.

What should I do? I let my Dreamcast sit over night (sometimes it gets pissy and won't load burned games unless it sits for a bit), but it still won't work. I'm going to take it apart when I have more time, but aside from adjusting the laser, I don't know what I can do.

[samsonlonghair]

How sad. I hope you can fix your dreamcast.

[CRTGAMER]

Maybe clean that laser off with a little alcohol first.
Check your discs for any scratches. The worst are circular scratches.

While you have the cover off give it a blow with can of air.

Hope its a temporary setback.

[17DaysOlderThanNES]

DO NOT adjust the laser until EVERY OTHER OPTION has been looked into.

first: clean laser and spindle with rubbing alcohol on a q-tip. Apply alcohol with moist side, then swap off with the dry side. Dust/grease on the spindle rubber is a big cause of misreading with the DC. Finish by spraying the whole assembly with canned air duster. When placing the disc, use 3 fingers in a triangular fashion and push down on the disc to make sure it's even (apply pressure right next to the spindle). Uneven discs are a big cause that isn't normally observed.

second: open it up and check the "lid closed" switch in the back. To see if it's working, hold it in the "back" position, turn on the system, and see if it'll spin a game. If it spins, you're fine (make sure it's not intermittent). Be careful, though, the switch is fairly fragile. Also, if it is broken, you'll have to rip it off with pliers and solder the traces together so the DC thinks it's always closed. If that doesn't do it, check the ribbon cables for the drive itself. If they appear fine, remove them, clean with alcohol, dry (by removing it with the dry side of the q-tip, don't air dry), and reinsert. While you're in there, inspect the assembly and check for any lint that might be binding up the drive assembly.

The potentiometer fix is like putting fix-a-flat in a tire, it may get you a few more miles, but ultimately you're just ruining it. If a potentiometer needs adjusting for the system to work, something else is wrong (like a dirty lens). Of course, this excludes new replacement lasers as they usually aren't calibrated from the factory.

Personally, I've never come across a Dreamcast I couldn't get working with a proper cleaning. I think many people's spindles just get loose with time (coupled with dust in the lens) and when they don't think to place the game perfectly flat it can't read the disc right.

Oh yeah, and in some REALLY unusual circumstances, the laser will just get stuck. If that's the case, you'll have to bump the laser sled (black plastic thing around the lens itself that moves back and forth) and force it to move (while the system is off, of course). It's not great for the system, per se, but if it's jammed, what else you gonna do?

[MentalMan]

While you are already at it cleaning it as the other suggested, you might as well pull off the PSU from its pins, and then clean the pins carefully with alcohol.

This does not directly have anything to do with the DC reading games or not, more about random resets/reboots and other little quirks.

It's good to do it anyway though, as well as making sure all ribbon cables are properly connected and their contacts dirt free.

Dreamcast's are faily reliable and longliving if taken care off, not much that can go wrong except controller board not functioning anymore, which is a easy fix. Or as mentioned, the random resets, just as easy fixed.

[17DaysOlderThanNES]

^yeah, almost every DC operation problem is just dirt/dust related. For some reason, every DC I've opened has a mangled mess of hair/dust/lint on the "lid closed" switch.

[Reprise]

I feel your pain man, the same happened to me, well it must be comingup to a year ago now. Unfortunately after cleaning it like how 17DaysOlderThanNES described, it still would not work. I tried opening it up and giving it a general clean as well, and adjusting the laser as a last resort, but nothing saved it. I hope you manage to fix yours. Luckily Dreamcasts aren't too expensive to replace, although it is a little disheartening buying a second hand Dreamcast when you've had your original new one for nearly ten years.

I've since bought 2 Dreamcasts just so I have a spare in case. One is in average condition and didn't cost me much off Ebay. The other is in almost mind condition, like new and still in it's box. It was bargain, cost me just £35 from a small shop near me, and with 2 sealed games (Virtua Tennis and Ready 2 Rumble) and a second hand hand copy of a Basketball game (forget it's name, but it's not the NBA 2K series).

Anyways, good luck with yours. Hope you get it fixed. If not, keep a look out for some Dreamcasts. You can sometimes find some good deals.

[MentalMan]

^yeah, almost every DC operation problem is just dirt/dust related. For some reason, every DC I've opened has a mangled mess of hair/dust/lint on the "lid closed" switch.

Same here, are people throwing them into a catbox or what?

One unit even had some battery-like gunk in corners of the case. Like the cheap china toys in the 80s that busted up every battery leaving it leak its contents all over the battery compartment. Weirdly enough, there was nothing on the hardware that suggested it. Maybe the douchebag swapped parts or something. The PSU even had a buldging cap.

Oh boy, sad.

[17DaysOlderThanNES]

oh, I should add, when you put games in and remove them, tilt them towards the front of the system to make sure you don't hit the lens. It may not have happened here, but over zealously inserting a game and bashing the laser is sure to bone your system.

[weasels]

^yeah, almost every DC operation problem is just dirt/dust related. For some reason, every DC I've opened has a mangled mess of hair/dust/lint on the "lid closed" switch.

Same here, are people throwing them into a catbox or what?

One unit even had some battery-like gunk in corners of the case. Like the cheap china toys in the 80s that busted up every battery leaving it leak its contents all over the battery compartment. Weirdly enough, there was nothing on the hardware that suggested it. Maybe the douchebag swapped parts or something. The PSU even had a buldging cap.

Oh boy, sad.

hmm this makes me curious if my DC has junk in it. it's working just fine...but you never know right? plus it's due for a small clean anyways.